Millinery Escapades
Its completley logical to make a hat before you've made the outfit for it, right? Or not. However, since I still am in search of fabric for the Thunderhosen (I think I'm getting really close now, though) I'm going to amuse myself with other bits. I'm willfully ignoring the shirt for the time being. So...hat it is....
Hats are intimidating. I've never made a proper hat. Only a silly floppy peasant one with no real structure. I met a lady at the VA renfest who used plastic canvas as her hat structure. Admittedly not a period material, but well, I'm a beginner. Perhaps i'll try felt and wire and paper mache for my next hat.
So...despite very non-period structural support, I wanted to try a period pattern. Janet Arnold's PoF has quite a few pleated tall hats in it. I modeled mine after one that is pink velvet. But mine will end up black--hubby would not like a tall pink hat.
I used the pattern in the middle on page 94 (for those of you that have the book). I altered the sides of the crown a bit so I wouldn't have quite so many incisions to make.
Hubby's head is 23 inches circumfrence, and I've taken it down to an 18and a bit inches circumfrence for the top (which, after doing LOTS of geometry means that the very top of the hat will be ~6 inch diameter circle). This amounted to cutting out 1/2 inch wide, 3.5 inch long triangles every 2 3/8 inches on the top of the crown-side. See:
Here, I am joining the slits with very non-period navy blue cotton yarn. (Yup, niter, I actually bought yarn!) You know, it might have just been easier to make a conical shape to begin with, but well, i was following the PoF pattern...
This is 6.5" tall right now, but after a try on, I think I'll take about an inch off the height for a more pleasing aesthetic (hubby keeps calling it a pilgrim hat, and that just won't do).
Here are all the bits cut out. The brim is 12" wide (just like the PoF hat, since I had no idea how big would look "right"). I need to finish tacking the top onto the sides tonight. We'll see if i get around to covering anything in fabric.
I'm a dolt and had the trim for the hat band in my hand at the store, but put it down while choosing my canvas. I guess I still need to find trim, huh?
Now, for some questions:
1) Opinion: black courderoy, black velveteen, or "other"? I think i'm gonna line this in that tan silk satin i have....
2) Does one cover the crown and brim in fabric before or after joining said crown and brim? I was thinking it might be easier to cover the brim before attaching it to the crown, but I really don't know.
Hats are intimidating. I've never made a proper hat. Only a silly floppy peasant one with no real structure. I met a lady at the VA renfest who used plastic canvas as her hat structure. Admittedly not a period material, but well, I'm a beginner. Perhaps i'll try felt and wire and paper mache for my next hat.
So...despite very non-period structural support, I wanted to try a period pattern. Janet Arnold's PoF has quite a few pleated tall hats in it. I modeled mine after one that is pink velvet. But mine will end up black--hubby would not like a tall pink hat.
I used the pattern in the middle on page 94 (for those of you that have the book). I altered the sides of the crown a bit so I wouldn't have quite so many incisions to make.
Hubby's head is 23 inches circumfrence, and I've taken it down to an 18and a bit inches circumfrence for the top (which, after doing LOTS of geometry means that the very top of the hat will be ~6 inch diameter circle). This amounted to cutting out 1/2 inch wide, 3.5 inch long triangles every 2 3/8 inches on the top of the crown-side. See:
Here, I am joining the slits with very non-period navy blue cotton yarn. (Yup, niter, I actually bought yarn!) You know, it might have just been easier to make a conical shape to begin with, but well, i was following the PoF pattern...
This is 6.5" tall right now, but after a try on, I think I'll take about an inch off the height for a more pleasing aesthetic (hubby keeps calling it a pilgrim hat, and that just won't do).
Here are all the bits cut out. The brim is 12" wide (just like the PoF hat, since I had no idea how big would look "right"). I need to finish tacking the top onto the sides tonight. We'll see if i get around to covering anything in fabric.
I'm a dolt and had the trim for the hat band in my hand at the store, but put it down while choosing my canvas. I guess I still need to find trim, huh?
Now, for some questions:
1) Opinion: black courderoy, black velveteen, or "other"? I think i'm gonna line this in that tan silk satin i have....
2) Does one cover the crown and brim in fabric before or after joining said crown and brim? I was thinking it might be easier to cover the brim before attaching it to the crown, but I really don't know.
posted by Julebug | 9:30 AM
4 Comments:
Pilgrims ahoy!!!! Or Puritans perhaps? Or were those the same? Almost failed a history class, can you tell?
Ahem. So about those questions:
1. Fabric - if it's for the thunderhosen outfit, black velveteen. If it's for middle-class, velveteen or other. Dunno about corduroy; I've kind of got something against it. Or ignore me. That's good too.
2. Construction. Ummm.....So I was personally thinking about putting together the structure, then sewing the outside fabric all together, then sewing the lining all together, then making the sandwich and neatly (ha) folding the edges of the two fabric layers under themselves around the outer perimeter of the brim and stitching. If that makes any sense. Mind, I've never done this. Also, we could consider reading the exceedingly careful instructions in TT and, oh, say....following them? Nah, just kidding. We don't follow directions.
There's a tall hat in TT? I must have some pages stuck together. This is the second hat i think i've missed in that book. I'll have a looksie tonight.
What do you have against courduroy (how do you spell that, anyway)? Couldn't I claim that it was finely striped cut velvet? ;)
When we made hats, we used buckrum (stiffened cotton) and hat wire with wire caps, to hold it in place, plus if you leave a little opening in the brim you can pull it out depending on the style of hat, and wash it. If it's a tall cap, better to spot clean.
I usually get it from Bridal shops, since they use it for had forms a lot. Or try www.graandgarb.com she's got some great things.
Have you seen the gal that sells period hat patterns online? She's awesome, but you've already got the idea.
When I worked faire actively they told us that corderoy was actually velvet that had finely cut lines cut into it with razor blades, and they all agreed people were much too drunk to do that work! ROFL It was funny to me. I found lovely Jaquard for 8.00 a yard at Walmart believe it or not. Good find.
Sorry to just stumble in here. *laughs* I found you through an engine while looking for doublet ideas for my husband.
Thanks for the suggestions and websites.
I do want to try a buckram enforced hat sometime, but the plastic canvas is so easy to find locally, and well, when the hat bug hit, it hit hard! ;) I'm impatient.
I figure for MY hat, I'll have more time to plan/order. Poor hubby, he always gets the practice rounds....
Good luck with your husband's doublet!
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